Reach Out Cameroon wins Humanitarian Organisation of The Year Award.

The humanitarian organisation earned Cameroon’s Humanitarian Organisation of The Year Award, during a ceremony marking the 10^th Anniversary of NewsWatch.

The historic anniversary ceremony in Yaounde August 19, was chaired by the representative of the Minister of Communication.

This was, in the presence of the new British High Commissioner to Cameroon, H.E Barry Robert Lowen and traditional rulers amongst other personalities. 

The Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon, Esther Omam, received the award on behalf of her institution. 

According to the award jury, Reach Out Cameroon was rewarded “for its active and consistent support to persons, especially women, girls and children, affected by the drawn-out armed conflict in the North West and South West Regions.”  

In her acceptance message, Reach Out Cameroon Executive Director, Esther Omam expressed gratitude to members of the award jury and the many readers who voted for her organisation.

“I am grateful as this adds another milestone in the journey covered so far since the outbreak of the Anglophone crisis,” she stated.

Omam said under her stewardship, Reach Out Cameroon has become the pioneer humanitarian organisation in the course of Anglophone crisis.

“Many of our project beneficiaries were nowhere to be found in their natural communities. They had fled for their dear lives after witnessing the horrors caused by war. We could not stay indifferent to their cry. We had to keep searching, looking for the least opportunity that will enable us to bring some relief to them,” she said. 

Impact of Reach Out Cameroon

The multi-awards winner further explained that her organisation is currently implementing humanitarian interventions beyond the two English-speaking Regions, to the Far North, Centre, Littoral, and West Regions of Cameroon.

She said her organisation has provided assistance to over 1,800,000 persons in need in various categories; ranging from primary health care, nutrition, economic security, gender-based violence referrals and management, information, education and counselling.

Reach Out Cameroon, she went further, has also been instrumental in making available shelter, establishment of civil status documents, sexual and reproductive health rights through mobile clinics and downstream partners to affected population. 

“We have been fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in all 13 Divisions of the North West and South West Regions; with 27 District CSOs as partners and 1,920 community health volunteers to relay our services,” she noted, before adding that: “I can humbly say, ‘Yes, we have served our people. We will continue serving them despite all odds.’ We did not just end there, we had to mainstream peace and mediation work everywhere we go so as to strengthen community systems thereby building peace, piece by piece”.

Encouragement to do more

According to the Executive Director, the award received serves as a reminder not to relent her efforts but to keep striving and working hard for all the survivors of the crisis. 

“This award is a reminder that we all have to work hard during crisis periods to support everyone who is afflicted to regain their rights. It reminds us of the need for collective efforts and the need for inclusive dialogue, which should spare us the question frequently asked by the pained ones: who will heal the land?” she said. 

She also stressed that there is a need to support women who bear the brunt of conflicts on a daily basis so that they can use their hearts and heads to heal the land and restore peace. 

“There is need to balance women's representation in all dialogue platforms and all humanitarian actions if our aim is to achieve sustainable peace. The vital role of women, front-line leaders who are making substantial contributions to the pursuit of peace and security in their communities, cannot be over-emphasised,” she added, insisting that the role of women at the grassroots building peace cannot be ignored.

Recognition of humanitarian works

While recognising the efforts of all her staff and volunteers of Reach Out Cameroon, she highlighted the fact that many of the workers tread dangerous and insecure hard-to-reach communities on a daily basis to deliver humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations. 

“I therefore dedicate this award to all the actors in humanitarian response, especially women who are at the forefront of life-saving actions, our women in the communities whom we call our ‘Apostles of Peace’ and our community peace champions working day and night to deliver humanitarian aid; carrying out advocacy actions at their risk and peril,” she said. 

“Many humanitarians have lost their lives in the course of trying to save others,” she regretted. 

She has meanwhile appreciated the efforts of funders, donors, and partners who find the works of Reach Out Cameroon worthy of their financial and technical support. 

The award ceremony Saturday, it should be said, coincided with the 2023 edition of World Humanitarian Day, observed yearly on August 19. This year’s edition of the Day was observed under the theme: “No Matter What”.